The present invention relates to a device for mounting a character carrying disc (commonly called a daisywheel) in a typewriter or other printing machine having a platen roller, a carriage slidable on a guide parallel to the platen roller, a selector motor and a striker hammer. The device comprises a frame which is pivoted relative to the carriage, e.g. on the guide that is parallel to the roller, and is movable together with the carriage and on which are mounted the selector motor and the striker hammer, and a mechanism connected to the carriage and to the frame to swing the frame with respect to the carriage and to move the selector motor and the striker away from the platen roller.
A device is known in which, in order to mount a character carrying disc, the frame is swung by about 60.degree. in order to move the motor and the hammer far away from the roller and thus permit the operator to remove any character carrying disc which is already fitted into the machine and to fit another thereof, the character carrying disc being directly and manually coupled to the shaft of the selector motor. In order to move the frame into the highly inclined position referred to above it is therefore necessary first to remove the cartridge containing the inked ribbon and which is carried on the carriage above the frame itself. It will be appreciated that all that requires laborious and rather long operations which mean that that apparatus is not really a practical proposition.
In addition, with that device, it is the operator who, besides the actual operations of removing and exchanging the character carrying disc, must also attend to coaxial coupling between the disc and the shaft of the selector motor.
Also known is a device in which the selector motor and the print hammer remain fixed in their operating positions during the operation of fitting the character carrying disc. Mounted on the carriage, between the motor and the roller, are two substantially vertical guides which are capable of guiding the character carrying disc downwardly to position it in association with the shaft of the selector motor.
A manually actuable mechanism is arranged to incline the character carrying disc for coupling it to the motor shaft. In that device therefore, each character carrying disc must be provided with lateral posts or lugs which are co-operable both with the vertical guides and with the manual mechanism which causes the disc to take up an inclined position for coupling it to the motor, so that the system, taken overall, is very expensive.